Suzanne at the Math Forum

Archive for October 2011

Both on October 22 at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, PA and most recently on October 27 in Rochester, NY, I presented sessions about problem solving and the CCSS Mathematical Practices. In both venues we agreed that one of the more difficult challenges is to slow things down so that students have opportunities to:

1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

Neither of those practices can be done well in a rushed atmosphere where the goal is to check off the “skills” that a student has mastered. Recent years have had this “quicker is better” tone. Teachers have been encouraged to cover everything that might possibly be on the standardized test. They have had long checklists of what the students must learn. Now, with the Common Core there is a return to a focus on process but how do we help make that happen? A change in classroom culture takes time and effort. Approaching problem solving as a process over time is one idea that might help.

I provided some ideas to focus on the process of problem solving and the communication that accompanies it:

* start a problem by reading it as a “story” and then ask students “What did you hear?”
* don’t plan to finish a problem in one class period — work on parts over time
* use our Noticing/Wondering activity with students working in pairs or groups
* use technology to approach a problem with virtual manipulatives when you’ve first introduced it with concrete manipulatives or vice versa
* start a problem at the end of the period, wait to re-engage until a day or two, and continue to do a little each day
* encourage students to read their solution drafts out loud to a partner and then discuss what the listener might still be wondering
* take time to give feedback to each student — it could be as short as “I notice … (one thing).” and “I wonder … (one thing).” If the teacher values the process and provides feedback, it models to the student that their initial draft is worth reflection and revision.

How are you helping your students persevere? How are you thinking that you will help your students persevere? What are you noticing? What are you wondering?

This morning I attended a meeting at the School District of Philadelphia. The presenter included in his remarks references to “making learning fun.” I wondered how he might respond if I asked him to tell me more about what he means by “fun.” For students to have fun, does that imply entertainment? Does it imply games or video games or other media that we think will capture their attention? Do we connect games to fun? Might something be fun if we’re feeling successful at doing it? If we “get” something and we’re smiling and talking and engaged, does that show that we’re having fun? Can we be having fun if we look serious? How do we define “fun” and, in particular, how do we define “fun” in an educational setting?

I find myself thinking of math software that is designed for students to answer a certain number of questions and then they are rewarded with a short time of some sort of “fun” game. I wonder if they think the fun part rests the student’s mind or is such a reward that the student will work hard to be able to have fun. I also wonder at what point the student is more engaged — the question/answer part or the fun game part.

I’ve known teachers who feel that if only they could entertain their students (like someone who’ve they’ve watched at a conference or, perhaps, a colleague at their school) then learning would be fun and their students would do well.

I have developed a different idea of what “fun” is in a classroom. For me learning is fun when students are given access to the subject. Students who are able to make sense of what they’re being asked to do, make it be their own learning, have facilitators to help them engage, are encouraged to persist and re-engage — I’ve seen those students have smiles on their faces and excitement as they learn. There is a lot of fun to be had when a student feels they’re in control of their own learning.

I would claim that Max and Steve are having fun here even though they’re not smiling!

Last week I used a memory from over 25 years ago and this week my thoughts turned to a memory that is probably only 15 years or so old. For some reason I’m attracted to patterns — I look for them constantly. In fact, in part it was my fascination with tessellations that led me to my Math Forum job! Unlike Lee’s question about the world turning color, I can’t exactly pinpoint when our older son Niko commented to me about my “eye” to patterns but I remember the conversation. I was noticing out loud something that focused my attention and Niko said, “Mom, you just think that way, don’t you?” And I said, “Yes. I’m not sure why but as I encounter the world my eye focuses on shapes and designs and color. I’m always looking for a pattern.”

It seems normal for me and I can’t imagine that others don’t see what I see. This morning as I was thinking about this I thought that I’d look through my iPhoto library to find a couple of photos I might have taken. I started laughing because I have quite a collection. Below are a few that I chose to share.